Automatic device for mixing and feeding dyestuff to dyeing apparatus



March 3, 1953 s. CONVERSE ETAL 2,630,002

AUTOMATIC DEVICE FOR MIXING AND FEEDING DYESTUFF TO DYEING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 14, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet l O O O 5HEI2MAN CONVERSE.

5.714 CALVIN M. M KEOWN, INVENTORS.

ATTORNEY March 3, 1953 s. CONVERSE ETAL 2,630,002

- AUTOMATIC DEVICE FOR MIXING AND FEEDING DYESTUF'F TO DYEING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 14, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 E w ME T K y 3: 0 O O IN. A w w a MW 1.. WW Hm d l A 5 2 9 3 4 2 w 4 4M 3 3 33 A w w 1 1 A. 5 V 3 A 3 7 4 4 7 9 7 3 w 3 5 5 O 00 M 2 "A 3 O 5 r 1 a w 3 19 L 83 f 7 5 A T TOE/ IE V 2 3 0 mv m: w. rlu l 0 M #04 M m 1 l s ma mm 1. mm A 2 a 5 Q Q wwmw 5 .m JU I w I. a v M s I K k 5 mm 0F. 5 mm MTG film Ska F I L H m. cm

S. CONVERSE ET AL AUTOMATIC DEVICE FOR MIXING AND FEEDING DYESTUFF TO DYEING APPARATUS March 3, 1953 Filed Oct. 14, 1948 IIILIII'IIIIII'I l IIIII I III A T TO RNEY S. CONVERSE ET AL AUTOMATIC DEVICE FOR MIXING AND FEEDING March 3, 1953 2,630,002

DYESTUFF TO DYEING APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Oct. 14, 1948 MM ms wwm Mmm 0 km NMm A MM MW HH 5 and C4 A TTOP/VE Y Patented Mar. 3, 1953 OFFICE AUTOMATIC DEVICE FOR MIXING AND FEEDING DYESTUFF T0 DYEING AP- PARATUS Sherman Converse, Aiken, and Calvin M. McKeown, Graniteville, S. 0.

Application October 14, 1948, Serial No. 54,374

6 Claims. 1

This invention relates to apparatus for treating cloth, and more especially to a system for automatically and continuously treating dye for a padding operation.

The primary object of this invention is to provide means for continuously and automatically adding the desired amount of salts, such as granular sodium hydrosulphite to a given volume of dye liquor ora liquid ingredient of dye liquor and if such is required, as in the case of reduced dye padding, to provide means for automatically detaining the dye in a reducing tank for a predetermined length of time before admitting the dye to the padding operation.

In the case of reduced dye padding, due to the fact that the exact weight of granular salt, such as granular sodium hydrosulphite, must be added to the liquid dye in a specific proportion, and also that the action of the salts on the dye must take place for a predetermined length of time, no more or less, before application of the dye to the cloth, it has heretofore been necessary to mix the granular salt and liquid dye manually to insure the correct proportions, and it has also been necessary to entirely use up this liquor before mixing another batch of the salt and dye, and this has not only resulted in a considerable loss of time but also has required a larger number of operators than is required in the present invention.

It is another object of this invention to provide a dye tank in which a suitable vat dye is stored, and having automatically controlled means for delivering the dye from the storage tank, through. a reducing tank to a pad box or booster tank and also provide a hopper disposed above one end of the reducing tank and in which granular sodium hydrosulphite is stored and quired proportion of vat dye to the granular sodium hydrosulphite will always be delivered to the reducing tank.

It is another object of this invention, in the instance of reduced dye padding, to provide automatic means for maintaining such a level of dye liquor in the reducing tank as to provide the required time for the salts, such as granular sodium hydrosulphite and dye, to properly react before the dye passes to the padding operation.

It is another object of this invention, in the --instance of dyeing cloth by pigment padding, to

' provide a means for automatically and continuously proportioning salts, such as granular sodium hydrosulphite, and an alkaline liquid such as an aqueous solution of sodium hydroxide, to produce a liquid to reduce the dye after application to the cloth in pigment form.

The invention broadly contemplates the dyeing of textile materials, such as cloth, warp yarns and the like, by providing a pad box or booster tank and a tank for holding a reducing solution and a tank for storing the reducing solution with means automatically controlled for supplying the dyestufi fromthe storage tank to the tank for holding the reducing solution and the tank having the reducing solution therein having automatically controlled means for feeding a regulated amount of granular sodium hydrosulphite to the tank for holding the reducing solution, together with means automatically controlled by the rate of travel of the material being dyed through the pad box or booster tank for regulating the amount of the reducing solution which is fed from the tank for holding the reducing solution to the pad box or booster tank.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing the dye tank and various control apparatus which is adapted to be associated with this invention;

Figure 1-A is an extension of the lower portion of Figure 1 and showing the hopper, the reducing tank, and the associated pad box or booster tank schematically and the control means connected to the same;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the hopper and reducing tank and the framework in which it is mounted;

Figure 3 is an end elevation looking from the left-hand side of Figure 1 to the right;

Figure 4- is an elevation taken along the line 4-4 in Figure 3 and showing parts of the framework broken away; i

Figure 5 is an enlarged vertical sectional vie taken along the line 5-5 in Figure 3;

Figure 6 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken along the line 6-6 in Figure 3;

Figure 7 is a schematic detail showing the relationship between the rotameter in the lower lefthand portion of Figure l-A and the instrument 320 in Figure 1.

In order that a clear understanding of the various parts of the invention may be had in combination, the various parts will first be described. The tank for holding the reducing solution for a predetermined time and shown in Figures 1-A and 2 to 6 inclusive will first be described.

The numeral Ill broadly designates a framework for supporting the hopper and reducing tank to be presently described. This framework In comprises vertical legs l2, l3 and I4, each of the lower ends of which has a plate |5- welded to the same. The upper ends of the vertical legs II and I3 and I2 and I4 are connected by longitudinally extending angle bars H3 and H, respectively, and the upper ends of the legs M. and i2 and I3 and M are connected by'transyerseanglebars and 2| respectively, all of which are Welded to the upper ends of the vertical legs I2, I3 and M. An angle bar 22 is'welded-at each end thereof to the longitudinally extending angle bars l6 and I! intermediate. their-Tends.

1 Welded at each end thereof to intermediate portions of the vertical legs I 3 and I4 is a horizontally disposed transverse angle bar 23 and this angle bar 23 supports; intermediate its ends; one end of a vertically disposed late 24 having an anglecl-ip' 25 at the lower. left ha nd edge i nlFig ure 4;-welded thereto; which is secured, as by a bolt-26, to the transverse angle bar 23.

This vertically disposed plate 25 also has an angle clip3|l welded to its upper left-hand corner in Figure 4' and this angle clip is secured, as by a bolt 3-1, tontli transverse angle bar 21.. Ihe plate 24 also has an angle clip 32 welded to the upperright handcorner of: the same, in- Figure s, and this clip 32 is secured, as by axbolt 33,. to. the transverse angle bar 22: and it is thus seen: that the vertically clisp'osed plate 24 is supported by the'anglebars 'i'l, 22, and-23.

Disposed a substantial distanceupwardly from the lower ends ofthe vertically disposed legs H, I2, l3 and M are angle bars 34, 35, and 5?. The angle bars 34 and 35 extend longitudinally of the frame work Ill and are welded. at opposite ends thereofto the vertically disposed legs l l' and Hand I2 and M, respectively. The angle barsfit and ST are" disposed transversely of. the framework Ill and arewelded at opposite ends-thereof to-the vertically disposed legs I I andv l2 and I3 and I4, respectively (Figure 2) Spanning the. distance. betweenthe longitudinally extending. angle bars 34 and 35 and being spaced apart-from eachother are angle bars 40 and 4|, which are welded at. each end thereof to the longitudinally extending anglebars 34 and.35.

Resting on the angle bars as and. 4|. andextendmg longitudinally of the framework. lflrisa reducing tank, broadly. designated at v This. reducing tank; 50. comprises vertical .si'dewalls 5| and 52 (Figures 1A, 2, and 3) andrighthand and left-hand end walls-.53. and 54, respectively;- The reducing. tank. 50. also has abottom 55 and this tank is divided by partitions 56, 57, and 58, which. extend from the upper edges of the walls 5| and 52, downwardly, and terminate approximately one-half inch above the bottom 55 of the reducing tank 50, thus forming chambers 46, 47, 48 and 49 in the tank 55.

Disposed between the partitions 55, 57 and 58 and the end wall 54 in parallel spaced relation thereto are vertically disposed partitions (ill, Bi and 62 which extend upwardly from the bottom 55, spanning the distance between the sidewalls 5| and; 52, and they extend approximately 12 inches from. the bottom 55 which is a substantial distance from the upper edges of the side walls 5| and 52 (Figure 1-A).

Each of the partitions 65, 6| and 52 is penetrated adjacent their upper edges by nipples t3 and eachof the nipples 63 has elbows 64 connected to opposite ends thereof to which are connected suitable siphoning pipes 55 (Figure 1-A). A steam pipe is indicated at ill (Figure 3) and is led from a suitable source of steam, not shown. This steam pipe has one of the ends of a plurality of steam coils '52 connected to the same which penetrate the sidewalls 5| and 52 0f the reducing tank 53' and pass through the chambers 41, 48, and 49 in the reducing tank 55.

The steam coils '12 pass back and forth through thereducing tank 55 a number of times and the other" ends of the steam coils extend out of the wall 52 and are connected to a pipe 13 which extends. to a suitable steam trap, not shown, and

thus. to a suitable condensate return pipe line,

not shown.

Extending from the bottom plate 55 of the re ducing. tank 55 and cooperating with the chem here 46; 41, 48 and 49 is a plurality of nipples 15 (Figures 2 and 3), eachof which has a suitable manually controlled valve 8dco'nnected to the same and the valves: Bil are connected tobranch pipests extending to a suitable drainpipe 8%...

A nipple penetrates the right-hand end wall 54" in Figures 2 and 1A,. and the'nipple 85. has a pipe T 86 connected thereto which is plugged as at 81 at-its end and has a. pipe: 90 connected to its" upper; end and extending upwardly therefrom and the upper end of. the pipe being'disposed: at .a point adjacentthe. upper edges of the right-handend: wall 54. The pipe 90 and the pipe T 86 have a pipe 9| disposed therein and extending longitudinally thereof, the. lower' open end of which is spaced from. the plug 81,: and the. outside diameter of this: pipe 9| is considerably smaller than the internal diameter of the pipe 9|], to thus provide a space around the pipe 91' between the pipe 9| and the pipe 90'. The pipe 9| extends to aliquid level indicator and controller (Figure l) to be later described. Penetrating the bottom plate 55 of the reducing tank 50 adjacent the right-hand end wall 54 (Figures 2 and 1-A) is a nipple 95 which is connected to a pipe 9'! extending to a conventional rotameter and padbox (Figure l-A) to be; later described in detail.

Disposed between the longitudinally extending angle bars IE and I1, adjacent the left-hand end of the framework It] as observed in Figure 1, is a hopper I00, the upper end of which is open and the walls of which slope inwardly and downwardly to form a discharge opening |06 (Figure l-A) at the lower end thereof. The hopper I00 has the roximate edges of support plates m1 and I08 welded to the same, at oppositesides thereof, and these plates I81 and I08 have bars I and H2, respectively, welded'to the lower edges of the same and the remote edgesof the bars I and 2 are penetrated by bolts 3 which also penetrate the angle bars I 6 and H to thus secure the hopper I00 to the longitudinally extending angle bars l6 and I1 (Figures 2 and 3).

Welded to the lower portion of the hopper I00,

as the right-hand side thereof in Figure 2 isone edge of a triangular plate 4 (Figure 2), to the lower edge of which a guide block H5 is welded and in which a closure plate H6 has horizontal sliding movement. This closure plate H6 is adapted to intermittently open and close the discharge opening I06 at the lower end of the hopper I00 in a manner to be later described.

The closure plate is pivotally connected as at I20 to a horizontally disposed link member |2| mounted. for horizontalsliding movement .inga.

guide block I22 secured, as by screws I23, to the vertically disposed plate 24 (Figures 2 and 1-A) The other end of the link member I2I is pivotally connected as at I24 to an inverted L-shaped portion I25 (Figures 2 and 6), which is welded to the medial portion of a lever arm I21. The lever arm I21 has a longitudinally extending slot I30 therein (Figure 6) which is slidably penetrated by a pin I3I, having collars I32 and I33 fixedly mounted thereon which are adapted to slidably engage opposite sides of the lever arm I21.

The plate 24 has a vertically disposed slot I 34 therein which is also slidably penetrated by the pin I3I and the left-hand surface of the plate 24 in Figure 6 is slidably engaged by the collar I33 on the pin I3I. The right-hand surface of the plate 24, in Figure 6, is slidably engaged by a yoke member I35 in which the pin I3I is secured, as by a pressed fit.

Disposed above and below the opposite ends of the vertically disposed slot I34 in the plate 24 (Figure 6) are guide members I36 and I31, respectively. Rotatably mounted in the guide member I35 and extending downwardly therefrom is a threaded shaft I40, which threadably penetrates the yoke member I35 and has a restricted portion I4I at the lower end thereof which is rotatably mounted in the guide member I31.

This restricted portion I M penetrates the guide member I31 and has a collar I42 fixedly mounted on the lower end thereof. The threaded shaft I40 has an enlarged portion I43 at the upper end thereof which engages the top surface of the guide member I33 in Figure 6 and this enlarged portion I43 has a suitable hand wheel I44 fixedly mounted thereon.

It is thus seen that by rotating the shaft I40,

in one direction or the other, the yoke member I35 may be raised and lowered relative to the plate 24 and this will, of course, move the pin I3I in a like manner to change the position of the pivot point of the lever arm I21 relative to the link member I2I and to thus increase or decrease the stroke of the link member IZI, as desired.

' Referring to Figure 4, it may be observed that the yoke member I35 has a pointed portion I 38 which serves as an indicator and there is disposed adjacent the end of this pointed portion I38 a suitably graduated plate member I39 which is secured, as by screws I45, to the vertically disposed plate 24. This plate member I39 is properly graduated to serve as a guide in establishing the height at which the yoke member I35 and its associated pin I 3I shall be disposed for determining the amount of material to be later disclosed, which will be allowed to fall, by ravity, from the opening I06 at the lower end of the hopper I00.

Pivotally connected to the upper end of the lever arm I21 in Figure 2 as at I50, is the lefthand end of a link member II which is mounted for horizontal sliding movement in a guide block I 52. secured as by screws I53, to the vertically disposed plate 24. The right-hand end of this link member I5lin Figures 2 and 1-A, is pivotally connected as at I55 to an inverted L- shaped portion I56. (Figure 5) welded to a medial portion of a vertically disposed lever arm I51.

The lever arm I51 is identical to the lever arm I21. heretofore described, and has a slot I60 therein which is slidably penetrated by a 6 pin I6I having collars I62 and I83 fixedly mounted thereon which slidably engage opposite surfaces of the lever arm I51. The vertically disposed plate 24 has a vertically disposed 1 slot therein the upper and lower limits of "which are indicated by the reference characters I64 and I64 in Figure 5 and which is also slidably penetrated by the pin IBI. This pin is secured, as by a pressed fit, in a yoke member I65 which has vertical sliding movement against the righthand surface of the plate 24 as observed in Figure 5.

Disposed above and below the limits of the slot I64 in the plate I24 are outwardly projecting guide members I66 and I I51, respectively (Figure 5). The yoke member I65 has outwardly extending ears H551: and IE5!) integral therewith and rotatably mounted inthe ears I350. and I651) is a vertically disposed shaft I10 which is also mounted for vertical sliding movement and rotational movement in the guide members I66 and I61 (Figures 4 and 5). Collars I58 and I69 are fixedly mounted on the shaft I10 between the ears I55; and I651) and slidably engage proximate surfaces of the same for moving the yoke member I65 on avertical plane in unisonwith the shaft I10 as will be later described.

Pivotally connected to the upper end of the vertically disposed shaft I10 (Figure 4), as at I'll, is the lower end of a piston rod I12, which extends into a cylinder I13 (Figures l-A and 4). This cylinder I13 is a part of a conventional Johnson Size 3 piston-type damper operator such as is manufactured by the Johnson Service Company, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The operation and structure of this damper operator is clearly described in Johnson Service Companys Instruction. Bulletin No. M-lOlA relating to automatic temperature and humidity control, Edition No. 1, page 8, and. is illustrated in Figures 9 and 10 of said Instruction Bulletin.

The cylinder I13 is capped as at I15 and a diaphragm I14 has vertical sliding movement in the cylinder I13 and is normally urged upwardly against the cap I15 by the compression springs I16 and I11 and the upper end of the connecting rod I12 is secured to the diaphragm 14 in a conventional manner. All of the parts I12 to I11 inclusive, being conventional part of the said piston type damper operator, a further description of the associated parts i deemed unnecessary. The cap I15 of the cylinder I 13 has a port I18 therein which communicates with a pipe I which extends upwardly in Figures 1 and. l-A to an instrument for indicating and controlling liquid level as will be later described.

Referring to Figure 2 it may b observed that there is pivotally connected to the upper end of the lever arm I51 as at 202, a link member 203, the other end of which is pivotally connected. as at 204 to one end of an adiustable arm 205 having a longitudinally extending slot 206 therein and which is penetrated by screws 201 for securing the arm 205 to a disk 2). The disk 2I0 is fixedly mounted on on end of a shaft 2II (Figure 4) which rotatably penetrates the vertically disposed plate 24 and extends from a conventional gear reduction unit 2I2 (Figures 3 and 4).

This gear reduction unit 2I2 is secured as by screws 2I4 to spaced strap iron members 2I5 and 2I6 which have interconnecting plates 2| 1 and 2I8 welded thereto. These strap iron bars 2I5 and 2I6 are secured, as by screws 22I, to

the; verticallydisposed plate 24- as observed in Figure 4-.

Extending from the gear. reduction unit 2|.2 in" Figure 3-, is a. shaft 222. which is connected toa: shaft 223, by a suitable flexible couplin 224. The shaft 223 extends from an electric motor 225 secured, as by bolts 226, to a horizontally disposed plate 221 welded to the upp end of a bracing. plate 230 (Figure 4), which is welded to the: vertically disposed plate 2 1. The electric motor 225 has electric wires- 23! and 232 extending therefrom to a, suitable source of electrical energy, not shown.

Figures 1 and 1-A show the various pneumatic and electrical controls which are adapted to be associated with the hopper mi] and the reducingtank 50 and which have been omitted from the Figures 2, 3 and 4 for purposes of clarity, because, as a matter of: fact, the various controls may be disposed remotely from the hopper and the reducing tank.

The upper left-hand corner of Figure 1 shows a suitable storage tank 259 which contains a vat dye solution 251 having sodium hydroxide admixed therewith and the hopper Hill has granular. salts 252, such as sodium hydrosulphite therein, and the primary object of this invention is to automatically feed the liquid vat dye 25! from the tank 250 and the salts 252 from the hopper 400 into the reducing tank 50 in predetermined proportions where the vat dye and sodium hydrosulphite are heated and mixed for a predetermined length of time as they pass through the reducing tank 50 and to then pass the mixture from the tank 50 to the paddin apparatus to be later described, at a rate of flow commensurate with the rate at which the vat dye mixture is used from the pad box by the cloth. as will be later described.

A pipe 255 is connected to the bottom of the tank 250 and has a suitably manually operated valve 256 (Figure 1) therein which may be opened for discharging the vat dye 2=5| from the tank 250 when it is desired to change the dye for some reason or other, or for cleaning the tank 250. However, when it is desired to feed the dye 251 from the tank 250 to the reducing tank 50, the manually operated valve 256 is closed and the dye passes through a pipe line 251 connected to the pipe 255 by a T and extending to a suitable hydraulic pump 260.

The pump 250 has api e 26! connected to the same (Figure l), which is connected by a T to branch pipes 263 and 264. The pipe 263 has an air operated diaphragm valve 265 therein the other end of'which has a discharge opening 251 for discharging the dye from the pipes 255, 2'6! and 263 and returning the dye to the dye tank 253, when so desired, as will be later described.

The pipe 264 (Figure 1) is connected by an elbow to a pipe 210 which extends to the tank 50' (Figure l-A) for discharging dye into the chamber 46 of the reducing tank 50. The pipe 210 has an air operated diaphragm valve 21! therein for controlling the flow of dyestuff, the control means being later discribed. The pipe 210 has the opposite ends of a by-pass pipe 268 connected to the same and this pipe 268 has a manually operated valve 269 therein and is provided to by-pass the diaphragm valve 2H for manually controlling the flow of sodium hydroxide vat dye to the reducing tank 50, as will. be necessary in the initial starting of this process.

The pipe 264 has a pipe 212 connected to the same. by a T 213.. The air operated valve 265 (Figure 1') hasla pipe 214 connected to the same, the other end of which is connected to an auto:- matic. air operated indicating pressure controller such as is manufactured by the Taylor Instrument Company, Rochester, New York, and is shown in their Catalogue No. 86R issued November 1944, page 15,, and bearing their number 86RF335. The pipe 212 extending from the pipe 264, is connected at its other end to the other side of the indicating pressure controller 215.

Means are also provided for controlling the rate of flow of the granular sodium hydrosulphite from the hopper I00 and likewise for controlling the flow of the dyestuff' from the storage tank 250 to the tank 50 and for also controlling the rate of flow of the finished dyestuff from the tank 50 to the pad box or-booste-r tank.

By referring to Figure 1, it is seen that. there is a pipe 280 connected to the indicating pressure controller 215, the other end of which is connected to a suitable source of compressed air 28L The pipe 283 has a branch pipe 282 connected to the same which is connected to a. pipe 284.

The pipe 284 (Figure 1) is connected by a pipe cross to branch pipes 285 and 286. The pipe 285 (Figure l) is connected to one side of an instrument 281, which is apressure type liquid level in.- dicating controller such as is manufactured by the. Brown Instrument Company, Wayne and Roberts Avenues, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and is shown in their Catalogue No. 2204, on page 13, Figure 21.

The purpose of this pressure type liquid level indicating controller 281 is to indicate, to the operator of this apparatus, the level of the reduced dye in the pad box or booster tank to be later described, as well as to insure that the proper level of the reduced dye in the pad box or booster tank is maintained in a manner to be later described.

The liquid level indicating controller 281 has a pipe 2% extending from thebottom at the lefthand side thereof in Figure 1. The pipe 290 has a manually operated 3-way valve 289 therein and this pipe 290 extends to an air operated diaphragm valve 29l in Figure l-A. The valve 29! is disposed in the pipeline 91 extending from the nipple in the bottom 55 of the tank 50 employed for reducing the dyestuff. This pipe 91 is connected at its other end, adjacent the valve 291, to the lower portion of a conventional rotameter 293 with an inductance bridge transmitter, to be later described, attached thereto. This rotameter is of a type suchas is manufactured by Fischer and Porter Company, Hatboro, Pennsylvania, and is described in their catalog No. 50B of November, 1945, various parts of the rotameter also being described in patents issued to Kermit Fischer, numbered 2,323,320, 2,350,343 and 2,441,350.

This rotameter 293 has a discharge pipe 294 connected to the upper portion of the same which is adapted to discharge the reduced dye from the reducing tank 50 into a pad box or booster tank 295. The rotameter 2 93 has a tapered Wall portion 291 (Figures 1-A and '1) in which a float member 330 is disposed and is penetrated by a vertically disposed rod 30l, the upper end of which extends into a sight tube 302 and the lower end of which extends into a tubular portion 30-4 which is sealed, by means not shown, from the tapered wall portion 291.

The rod 30! which penetrates the float mem-- her 309 in the rotameter 293 (Figure l-A) extends downwardly and has asoft iron armature rod 306 (Figures 1-A and 7) connected thereto, but

bein insulated therefrom. This rod 306 is a part of an inductance bridge transmitter, or, in other words, an inductor having an adjustable core, the rod 306 being the adjustable or movable core of the induct-or. A transmitter impedance coil 301 surrounds the lower end of the armature rod 306 and has electric wires 312 and 312a connected to opposite ends thereof and a wire 313 is connected to the center of the coil 301. The electric wire 313 extends to a male plug 314, which is adapted to be plugged into a suitable source of electrical energy not shown. The other side of the male plug 314 has an electric wire 315 connected to the same and the wires 312, 312a and 315 extend through a cable 316 to an instrument 320.

The instrument 320 (Figure 1) is an electric indicating air operated controller for liquid flow having an inductance bridge receiver, said instrument being such as is manufactured by the Brown Instrument Company, Wayne and Roberts Avenues, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and is shown on page 18, Figure 23, in their catalogue Number 2204. Although the said inductance bridge receiver is a conventional part of the instrument 320, in order that the relationship between the instrument 320 and the rotarneter 293 may be clearly understood, the schematic wiring diagram in Figure '7 shows a receiver impedance coil 316 which is the basic component part of the said inductance bridge receiver housed in instrument 320.

The receiver impedance coil 316 has the electric wires 312 and 312a connected to opposite ends thereof, and which extend from opposite ends of 1 extends to the center of the receiver impedance coil 316. The receiver impedance coil 316 surrounds a soft iron armature 311 having a rod 318 connected to and insulated therefrom on the upper end thereof, the upper end of the rod 313 being pivotly connected as at 319 to the right hand end of a conventional rocker arm 321 pivoted as at 321a and this rocker arm 321 is a conventional part of the instrument 320 as described in the said Brown Instrument Companys Catalogue No. 2204, and a further description is thus deemed unnecessary.

This electric flow indicator and controller 329 is provided to indicate the rate of flow in-gallons per minute of the reduced dye as it flows through the rotarneter 293 and is to also control the index setting of an instrument 322 in Figure l, by means of a branch pipe 323 extending from the pipe 264 to one side of the instrument 320 and an interconnecting pipe 324, extending from the other side of the instrument 320 to one side of the instrument 322. When the reduced dye flows through the rotameter 293 at a very slow rate,

the float 300 would be in a lower position relative to. the tubular member 291 (Figure '1) and con- "sequently the soft iron armature 306 would cause electrical energy to flow from the male plug 314 through the wire 313, through the lower half of the transmitter impedance coil 301 and through the wire 312 to the lower half of the receiver impedance coil 316 and the circuit would then be completed through the wire 315 to the other side of the male plug 314.

This would cause the soft iron armature 311 to move downwardly to thus move the rockerarm 321 in a clockwise direction in Figure 7 to actuate conventional parts, not shown, of the instrument 320 for indicating the flow of the reduced dye in gallons per minute as well as to control the admittance of compressed air to the instrument 322. Obviously, as the rate of flow of the reduced dye through the tubular member 291 increases, the metering float 300 would move upwardly thus transmitting energy through the coil 301 by means of the wire 313 to the male plug 314 to thereby cause the soft iron armature to move upwardly and'to move the rocker arm 321 in a counterclockwise direction to actuate the conventional parts, not shown, of the instrument 320, in the manner heretofore described, to thus indicate and control the flow of dye accordingly.

The instrument 322 is another pressure type liquid level indicating controller, similar to 281,

but has an Indexet mechanism associated therewith and is described in the said Brown Instrument Companys Catalogue 8904 on page 13, Figure 13. Broadly, the purpose of this instrument 322 is to control the flow of compressed air to the piston-type damper operator 113 shown in the upper portion of Figure l-A so as to permit ingress and egress of air through the pipe 195 to the cylinder 113 and to thereby assist in controlling the size of the opening 106 at the bottom of the hopper as will be later described. The pipe 195 which extends from the cap 115 of the damper operator cylinder 1'13 in Figure l-A extends to the left-hand side of the instrument 322 in Figure 1.

The pipe has a branch pipe 330 (Figure 1) connected to the same by a T. The other end of the pipe 330 is connected to the diaphragm valve 211 heretofore described. It will be noted in Figure 1 that the pipe 284 is connected by a T to the pipe 195 adjacent the instrument 322. A manually operated valve 332 is mounted in the pipe 284 adjacent the pipe 195 to thus admit com pressed air to the valve 211 for purposes to be later described.

There is a manually operated 3-way valve 333 (Figure 1) in the pipe 195 which is disposed between the points at which the pipes 284 and 330 are connected to the pipe 195. This valve 333 is provided to control thepassing of air between the instrument 322 and the diaphragm valve 211 as well as between the instrument 322 and the damper operator cylinder 113 and is a 3-Way valve instead of a 2-way valve in order that the pressure on the diaphragms of the valve 211 and the cylinder 113 may be bled oii in the event the control air through the instrument 322 is stopped for any reason. The 3-way valve 289 in the pipe 290 functions in a manner identical to that of the 3-way valve 333 in the pipe 195 to relieve the pressure against the diaphragm in the valve 291 in the instance that the instrument 281 is inoperative for any reason. 1

The pipe 91, which extends from within th pipe 90 in Figure l-A, is connected at its upper end to instrument 322 in Figure 1. The purpose of the pipe 91 is to transmit the pressure of the dye in the tank 50 against the lower end of the pipe 91 to the instrument 322, it being understood that the higher the level of the dye in the tank 50 the greater the pressure will be at the lower end of the pipe 91 to thus actuate the conventional indicating and controlling mechanism of the instrument 322 accordingly in a conventional manner.

The liquid level indicating controller 281 (Figure 1) has a pipe 340 extending from the same to the pad box or booster tank 295 (Figure l-A). The pad box or booster tank 295 has a nipple 341 connected to the same, on the outer end of isplugged at the lower end thereof, as at 343. This pipe. T 342 has a pipe" 344 extending upwardly therefrom; the upper end of which is disposed at an elevation substantially level with the top edges of the pad box or booster tank 295. The pipe 346 extends into the pipe 344 and terminates at the level of the bottom of the pad box or booster box 295 and it will be noted that there is a space between the lower end of the pipe-349 and" the plug 343 so the pressure of the reduced dye indicated at 345 in the pad box or booster tank 295 at the lower end of the pipe 340 will be transmitted to the instrument 281 in Figure'l.

I The instrument 322 in Figure 1 has a pipe 341 connected to the same, to which the pipe 294 is connected bya pipe cross, and this pipe 341 extends into a conventional sight feed bubbler 350, to the other upper side of which a branch pipe 35! is connected. The other end of the pipe 35! is connected to the pipe 9! by a T. The pipe 34!], extending from the instrument 281 (Figure 1) h'as'a branch pipe 353 connected to the same by a T, andthe pipes 286 and 353 extend into a conventional sight feed bubbler 354.

Referring to Figure 1-A it may be observed that the fabric or yarn to be padded by the reduced dye is indicated at 360 and extends from a suitable soure -such as a roll 36!. The fabric 360 extends downwardly into the pad box or booster tank 295, passing beneath an immersion roll 362, rotatably mounted in the pad box or booster tank 295, and then extends upwardly out-of the reduced dye 345 and passes between squeeze rolls 363 and 364. The fabric 360 is pulled ofi the roll 36! andaround the immersion roll 362 by the squeeze rolls 363-and 354.

The lower squeeze roll 363 is usually driven by a D; 0. electric motor 310, having electric Wires '31! and 312 extending therefrom, the-wire 31! extending to the side of a suitable source of D. C. current and the wire 312 extending to one side ofarheostat' 314; which is usually manually controlled. From the pointer of the rheostat' 314,

a wire'315 leads to the other side of the source ofD; C. current;

It isthusseen that the rheostat 314' will cont-hefspeed of the electric motor 310 and will thus control the-Speedatwhich the fabric 369 is drawn through the pad'box or boostertank 295.

After 3 the l fabric 369 passes between the squeeze rolls 364 and 363, which," incidentally; squeeze --a' major" portion of the liquid outof' the fabric above the tank 386m which the solution 394 is disposed.

Obviously there are many processes through which the fabric 360 may be passed after having been passed through the squeeze rolls 364 and 353 associated with the pad box Or booster tank 295and among these processes is a steam ager,

such as is-shown in, the patent to Sherman Converse, No. 2;441,99 2,cf May 25, 1948, after which 11 therabric or yarnyiswashed, soaped, and, otherwise treated in a conventional manner.

. 1 Method of opcratiort In-the operation'of this device; it is, of course; first necessary to fill the tank- 259 with the re-' quired vat dye sodium hydroxide solution 25'! and to provide a quantity of the granular so-' dium hydrosulfite 252 in the hopper I09. The? pump 26!] (Figure l) is then started to thuspump the vat dye 25! from the tank 250, through the pipes 255, and 26! through cheer the other of the pipes 263 or 264, depending upon whether or not the valve 265' is open and also whether or not one or the other of the valves 269 or 21! is open. r 7

Assuming the reducing tank 56 and thepad box or booster tank 295 to be empty, it is neees sary to feed a predetermined amount of the vat dye from the tank 259 to the reducing tank chamber 46, which may be done anyone of three ways. One method of feeding the dye from the tank- 250 to the tank 5!] is by opening the valve 269 in the by-pass pipe 268 to thus permit the pump 250 to pump the vat dye through the pipes 255, 251, 26!, 264 and 21D, successively, the vat dye passing through the by-pass pipe 268, through the opening 216 in the lower end ofthe pipe 213 and into the reducing tank 50.

When the estimated required amount of dye has passed through the pipe 219 into the tank 50, the valve 269 in the by-pass pipe 268' is then closed preparatory to normal operation of the machine as will be later described.

The second method of feeding'the dye from the tank 250 to the'tank 50, which is very Sim"- ilar to the method heretofore described, is by opening the valves 332 and 333 in the pipe lines 284 and I95, which will, in effect, by-pass the instrument 322 in Figure 1. The compressed air will then flow from the source of compressed air 28!, through the pipes 282, 284, I and 339 to the air operated diaphragm valve 21! thus opening the valve and permitting the pump 260 to pump the vat dye through the lines 255, 251, 26!, 264 and thus through the pipe 210 and the opening 216 in the lower end of the pipe 210 and finally into the reducing tank 50. As in the preceding method, the valve 332 in the pipe 284 would have to be closed when the estimated required amount of dye had passed into' the tank 5!].

The third and preferred method of delivering the vat dye from the storage tank 25!! to the reducing tank 50 through the pipe 219, is} to close the valves 33 3 and 239 in the respective pipe lines I95 and 299. Theliquid'level indicating controller 322 (Figure 1) is then manually adjusted to indicate the estimated required number of gallons of dye that is to be fed to the reducing tank 59, this having been determined from a particular dyeing formula, and which we will assume to be thirty (30) gauhns. The required numberv of ounces of granular hydrosulphite per gallon of vat dye is then. determined from the said formula, and the pointer I38 on the yoke member I35 is adjusted to indicate the required number of ounces as is shown on the graduated plate I 39 in Figure 4. This arm I21.

might be stated-that the. liquid levelin-dieating controller 322 is manually adjustedaccording to the type of goods to be dyed and the speed at which they are to be carried through the pad box 295 to indicate the required number of gallons that it is estimated should be in the reducing tank 50 for allowing a predetermined reducing time of, say, minutes.

The indicating pressure controller 215 at the top of Figure 1 is adjusted to a predetermined pressure of, say, ten pounds per square inch, and compressed air passes through the pipe 280 from the source of compressed air 28! to the instrument 215 and as long as the pump 260 (Figure 1) pumps the vat dye through the pipes 255, 251, 26!, and 264 at a pressure not exceeding ten pounds per square inch, the air operated diaphragm valve 265 will automatically remain closed. However, if the pressure in the line 264 becomes as high as ten pounds per square inch, this pressure will be transmitted through the pipe 212 to the indicating pressure controller 215 which will automatically permit compressed air to pass through the pipe 214 to the air operated valve 265 to thus open the same, so that as long as there is a pressure of ten pounds per square inch or greater in the line 264, the excess vat dye will pass from the pipe 26! to the pipe 263 and outwardly through the opening 261 and return to the tank 250.

It is thus seen that a constant pressure of ten pounds per square inch, or, of course, any other desired pressure, may be maintained in the pipe 219, although the hydraulic pump 260 operates continuously. This also assists in mixing the vat dye 25! in the tank 25!], especially when the valve 21! is closed, due to circulation of the dye from the tank 250 through the pipes 255, 251, 26! and 263 and through the opening 261 back into the tank 250. It might be stated that in order that the proportion of vat dye to sodium hydrosulphite remain constant at the desired valves, the pressure of the dye in pipe 210 must be the same as it was at the time when the plate member I39 in Figure l-A was calibrated. This is essential because the same air pressure that acts on the damper operator cylinder I13 also acts on the diaphragm valve 29!, which controls the flow of vat dye solution from the tank 50 to the pad box 295 in a manner to be later described.

The manually operated valve 333 is then opened and compressed air from the instrument 322 passesthrough the pipe I95 and through the branch pipe 330 to the valve 21 I, it being assumed that the manually operated valve 269 in the bypass pipe 268 is closed, to thus open the valve 21! and to thereby permit the vat dye solution to pass from the tank 250 and into the chamber 46 of the dye reducing tank 50. This valve 21! will remain open until the required thirty gallons of dye shall have passed into the dye reducing tank 50 at which time the air under pressure to the pipe I95 will be automatically reduced by conventional means, not shown, associated with the instrument 322, the amount Of liquid in the reducing tank affecting the instrument 322 by means of the pipe 9! extending into the pipe 90 associated with the dye reducing tank 50.

As the dye gradualy enters the reducing tank 50 and the pipe 90 through the nipple 85 and the pipe T 66 pressure is created on the lower open end of the pipe 90. This flow continues until it has reached th predetermined amount of 30 gallons. Obviously the more liquid there is in the pipe 90, surrounding the pipe 9!, the more pressure there would be exerted on the air in the pipe 9!, and. thus when the tank has received 30 gal- 14 lons of dye, the pressure would be transmitted through the pipe 9! to the instrument 322 to thus close a valve means disposed therein, not shown, for automatically stopping the air from passing from the source of compressed air 28! through the pipes 282, 284, and 341 through the instrument 322 to th pipes I and 330, also automatically releasing the air in these lines thereby permitting the valve 21! to close, which will automatically stop the flow of vat dye 25! from the tank 250 through the pipe line 210, and instead the pump 269 will then pump the dye back into the tank 259, in the manner heretofore described.

The conventional sight feed bubbler 350 is provided so that whenever the liquid level in the dye reducing tank 50 drops below its optimum level, the pipe line 9! will be purged by the pipe 35! connected to the bubbler 350 and to the pipe 9! thereby permitting the level of the liquid at the lower end of the pipe 9! to fluctuate according to the level of liquid surrounding the pipe 9! and being disposed in the pipe 90.

Now, as the compressed air passes from the instrument 322 through the lines I95 and 330 to the valve 21!, thus opening the same, the compressed air also passes through the pipe I95 to the cap I15 of the damper operator in Figure 1-A. This causes the diaphragm I14 to move downwardly and will thus move the vertically disposed shaft I10 (Figures 4 and 5) downwardly to thereby cause the yoke I65 and its associated pivot pin I6! to move downwardly and to thus transmit a maximum stroke of the lever arm !51, which will be oscillatably driven by the link member 203 extending from the disk 2 I 0 driven by the motor 225 (Figures 2 and l-A). It is thus seen that reciprocatory motion will be transmitted to the closure member II6 (Figure 2) through the links 203, I5! and I2! and the lever arms I51 and I21 to thus permit the granular sodium hy'dr'osulphite 252 in the hopper I60 to fall by gravity, through the opening I06 at the lower end of the hopper I00 and to thus fall into the chamber 46 at the left-hand end of the reducing tank 50, the size of the opening I06 being determined by the said damper motor and the pointer setting relative to the plate member I 39.

Now, when the desired amount of liquid vat dye has passed into the reducing tank 50 and the flow of compressed air to the pipe I95 has been automatically reduced through action of the conventional instrument 322 in the manner heretofore described, the pressure exerted by the compression springs I16 and I11 on the diaphragm I14 will cause the diaphragm I14 to move upwardly in Figure 1-A commensurate with the pressure transmitted to the instrument 322 by the pipe 9! extending from the tank 50. It is manitest that the level of the liquid in the tank 50 will transmit pressure through the pipe line 9!, through the instrument 322 and through the pipe I95 to the cap I15 of the damper operator thus controlling the size of the opening I06 at the bottom of the hopper I00 relative to the amount of liquid vat dye stuff being fed into the tank 50.

Now, as the diaphragm I14 in Figure l.-A moves upwardly in the manner heretofore described, the yoke member I65 will also move upwardly and will thus move the associated pivot pin I6! (Figure 5) upwardly and, in the event that the diaphragm I14 is moved to its uppermost position, the pivot pin I6! would be moved into alignment with the pivot point I55 of the connecting link I (Figure 5) and therefore, although the is preferable in this process.

connecting link 1263 will continue to reciprocate th rou'g'h'rrotation of the disk 2m, reciprocatory motion will not be transmitted to the link lei :due to the fact that the pivot point lSE of the link I51 and the pivot point lti of the lever arm "I61 will be on the same axis and consequently --thelever arm I 51 will merely rotate about the axis of the pivot point I55 and the closure member 2 it will, of course, remain disposed in such a manner :as'to close the opening Hi6 at the lower end :of the hopper we.

The estimated required amount of vat dye sodium hydroxide solution and the granular "sodium hydrosulphite, now being in the reducing tank 50, the apparatus is ready for continuous operation. However, it is necessary that the dye and the granular sodium hydrosulphite remain ine mixing stage for apredetermined length of time which is called the reducing time and it has been found that a ten minute reducing time As the vat dye and the granular sodium hydrosulphite pass into the chamber 46 (Figure 1-A) of the reducing tank '50, this mixture also passes beneath the lower edges of the partitions 56, 51 and 58 into the respective chambers 41, 48 and 49 and over the respective partitions 69, 6i and 52 in the chambers 41, 48 and 49 and this mixture is heated by the steam coils E2 passing therethrough, heretofore described.

.As the dye passes through the tank 56, it also passes through the nipple 95 at the bottom 55 and through the pipe 91 and is stopped against the valve in the lower right-hand corner of Figure vl-A. The .valve 289 in the pipe 290, extending from the left-hand side of the liquid level indicating controller 281, is then opened and compressed air passes from the source of com.-

as is now the case, air under pressure will be I transmitted through the instrument 28'? until the optimum condition exists relative to the amount of liquid in the pad box or booster tank 295 according to instrument 281. The pad box or booster tank 295 being empty, air pressure passes through the pipe 298, through the valve r2879 and to the valve 295 to thus open the same and .to permit the reduced dye to pass from the tank 5!] through the nipple 95 and the pipe 91 to the lower end of the portion 291 of the rotameter Z 93 (Figure 1-A).

The faster "the rate of flow of the vat dye through the tapered tubular portion 291 of the rotameter 293, the higher the float member 388 will be disposed in the tubular portion 291 to thus "relatively decrease 'the force of the compressed air transmitted from the instrument 3.29

to the instrument 322 through the pipe 324, the movementof the float member Silt causing the soft iron armature 396 to move correspondingly whereby the soft iron armature 3536 will react on the transmitter impedance coil 3t? to cause the relative reaction to be transmitted to the receiver impedance coil 3 I 6 and the soft iron-armature -3l1 in the manner heretofore described.

As the reduced dye passes through the :rotameter and through the pipe 294 and is discharged into the pad box or booster tank 295,

therheostat 314 is manually adjusted to transmit the desired speed to theelectr ic motor 310 and 16 to thereby transmit rotation to the squeeze rolls 363 and 364 and this will, in turn, cause the fabric 360 to be drawn beneath the immersion I011 362, through the reduced dye 345 in the pad box or booster tank 295. I

Now as soon as the required amount of dye has entered the pad box or booster tank 295, the

weight of the liquid reduced dye will create a pressureon the lower end of the pipe 340 which projects into the pipe 344 connected to the pad box or booster tank 295 and the other end of this pipe 345i, being connected to the instrument 2 81, will automatically stop or reduce the pressure of the air, from the pipe 285 at one side of the instrument 281 (Figure 1) through the pipe 298 vat the other side of the instrument 281 against the diaphragmof valve 291. I

Now, when the air pressure is thus released from the valve 29!, it will automatically close,

conversely, as the dye is used up in the padding operation, by the fabric 389 passing through the reduced dye 345m the pad box or booster tank 295, the pressure on the lower end of the pipe 340 will be reduced slightly and proportionately, and will thereby partially open the valve 29! to thus cause an automatically controlled continuous flow of reduced dye from the reducing tank 50 to the pad box or booster tank 295. The sight feed bubbler 354 serves the same purpose for the pipe 3% as the bubbler 356 does for the pipe 91.

In order that the rate of flow of the vat dye and sodium hydrosulphite may be uniform throughout the operation of this apparatus, when the rate of flow required is established by the cloth 3% passing through the reduced dye 345 in the pad box or booster tank 295, the rod 306 will remain at a particular level to transmit a certain reaction to the receiver impedance coil 3H6 in the electric indicating liquid level air operated controller 32H in the manner heretofore described, which will, in turn, indicate the flow in gallons per minute of the liquid passing through the rotameter 293. As the rate of flow of liquid in gallons per minute increases through the rotameter 293, this is indicated in the indicator 320 and the air under pressure then passes from the pipe 284 (Figure 1) through the pipe 323, through the instrument 320, through the pipe 324 to the instrument 322 and according to the gallons per minute as indicated inthe instrument 320, there is an automatic means, not shown, disposed in the instrument 322, which is called Indexet mechanism and is a commerical part of this device, which will automatically reset the instrument 322 to the required number of gallons of liquid. to be maintained in the reducing tank 50 and which will, in turn, permit the air under pressure to pass through the pipe 341 from the pipe 284, and in the event that the instrument indicates that there is not sufficient liquid in the reducing tank 50, the air under pressure will continue through the instrument 322 through the pipe I95 and to the valve 211 as well as the cap I15 associated with the cylinder I13 of the damper operator and will thus permit the vat dye to pass into the reducing tank 50 in the manner heretofore described.

It is thus seen that the valves 211 and 29| as well as the diaphragm I14 in the cylinder I13 and associated parts would fluctuate in their operation according to the rate of flow of thereduced dye from the tank 50 to the pad box or booster tank 295.

The sight feed bubblers 359 and 354 are merely provided to indicate, to the operator, if the pressure of the liquid in the reducing tank 50 and the pad box 295, respectively, is creating the desired effect in the corresponding pipes 9| and 340 to insure operation of the instruments 281 and 322. Each of the-sight feed bubblers 350 and 354 is in fact a needle valve confined in a glass bulb filled with water or some other 'clear liquid so that the flow of air in the needle valve confined in a glass bulb may be determined by the rate at which air bubbles are formed in each of the sight feed bubblers. The pressure of the air supplied to the sight feed bubblers 350 and 354 from the instruments 322 and 281, respectively, must, of course be higher than the pressure of the maximum head of liquid at the lower ends of the pipes 9i and 340. respectively. The respective sight feed bubblers permit a small amount of air to pass from the corresponding instruments throu ht the same and through the respective pipes 344 and 90 in Figure l-A and thus into the atmosphere.

However. the air within these pipes 9| and 340 will not escape into the atmosphere until after sufiicient pressure has been built up by the air from the respective sight feed bubblers to balance the pressure exerted by the head of the liquid at the lower ends of the pipes 9| and 340. i In operation the pressure on the respective instruments 322 and 281 will always be equal to the pressure exerted by the head of the liquid at the lower ends of the pipe lines 9| and 349.

There are various combinations of formulae, timing and speeds that may be used with this apparatus; however, to better understand the op:

Ounces per gallon -18 liquor and hydrosulphite is automatically shut off by action of the level control in the manner heretofore described.

After the 10 minute reducing time is up, the reduced dye solution in the reducing tank is allowed to flow, by gravity, at approximately the predetermined rate of 3 gallons per minute into the pad box or booster tank 295 which is presumed to have a capacity of approximately five gallons. This automatically starts the flow of dyestufi 25! from the storage tank 250 to the reducing tank 50 and the addition of sodium hydrosulphite 252 in the proper proportion from the hopper I00.

When'the pad box or booster tank 295 is filled, the flow of dye from the reducing tank 50 is out 01? by the level control in the manner heretofore described.

The apparatus is now started and, as the cloth 3R0 passes through the pad box or booster tank 295 and absorbs dye, the dye liquor 345 in the pad box or booster tank 295 is maintained at a uniform level by the action of the level control in controlling the flow of dyestuff solution from the reducing tank 50, as has heretofore been described.

If for some reason, the absorption of the dye liquor by the cloth is more or less than anticipated and, resultantly, the rate of flow of the dye liquor from the reducing tank through the rotameter to the pad box or booster tank is more or less than the predetermined rate of 3 gallons per minute, the control instrument 320 (Figure 1) connected with the rotameter 293 (Figures l-A and '7) will reset the level control in the reducing tank 50 to give a total volume of liquor in the reducing tank 50 which, at the actual rate of flow, will still retain the dye liquor in the reducing tank 50- for the necessary 10 minutes reducing time. Atthe same time, the flow of dye liquor from the storage tank 250 to the reducing tank Ponsol Brown AG Double Paste l 2 Caustic (sodium hydroxide) 1 Sodium hydrosulphite 1.5

Therefore 62% pounds of Ponsol Brown AG Double Paste and 31%, pounds of caustic are mixed with sufficient water in the stora e tank 250 to make a total volume of 500 gallons of mixed dyestuff 25L It is desired to run the cloth 360 at a speed of 90 yards per minute and it is known that one gallon of dyestuif solution 345 will'be taken up by 30 yards of 2.50 drill. Therefore the consumption of dyestuff solution 345 will be at the rate of 3 gallons per minute. Since it is desired that the dvestuff shall have a reducing time of '10 minutes it follows that the volume of dvestuff in the reducing tank 50 should be 30 gallons.

Therefore 30 gallons of dye liquor from the storage tank are run into the reducing tank. Since 1 /2 ounces of sodium hydrosulphite er gallon of dye liquor are required to reduce the dye, the pointer I38, Fi ure 4, is set at 1% on the calibrated scale I 39. Since the hydrosulphite feed is automatically controlled by the flow of dye liquor from the storage tank to the reducing tank, 1 /2 ounces of hydrosulphite will be delivered to the first chamber 46 of the reducing tank 50 for each of the 30 gallons of dye liquor from the storage tank 250.

When the dye liquor reaches the 30 gallon level in the reducing tank 50, the flow of both dye 50 will be automatically regulated, in the manner heretofore described, to conform to the new rate of dye liquor consumption.

For example, if the rate of flow is 3% gallons per minute, the volume in the reducing tank is automatically adjusted to 32% gallons and, if the flow is 2% gallons per minute, the reducing tank volume would be maintained at 2'7 /2 gallons. The hydrosulphite feed is, of course, automatically adjusted to provide 1 /2 ounces for each gallon of dye liquor entering the reducing tank 50, in the manner heretofore described.

It is to be understood that this apparatus may be used in other ways, such as, in feeding a prepared reducing liquor to a booster tank where cloth is treated to reduce dye that has been applied to the cloth in pigment form. In this instance, thecloth 360 (Figure l-A) may be fed to the pad box or booster tank 295 from a suitable pad box (not shown) in which the cloth has been impregnated with dye in pigment form and, in this instance, the tank 295 would be used as a booster tank.

In this instance, the storage tank 250 would contain an ample supply of an aqueous solution of sodium hydroxide, which would be fed to the tank 50 (serving as a mixing tank) in the same manner in which the dyestuff had been fed to the tank 50 from the storage tank 250, and

wherein the sodium hydroxide solution would be mixed with a predetermined amount of the granular sodium hydrosulphite from the hopper H19, in the manner heretofore described, to thus provide a reducing liquor consisting of an aqueous solution of sodium hydroxide and sodium hydrosulphite which would flow, by gravity, to the tank 295 at a controlled rate, in which instance the tank 295 would serve as a booster tank.v After patent to Sherman Converse, No. 2,441,992, of

May 25, 1948, after which the fabric or yarn is washed, soaked, and otherwise treated in a conventional manner as in the. process previously described.

In the drawings and specification there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention, and although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only, and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

We claim:

1. Apparatus for dyeing cloth having a dye storage tank, a dye reducing tank and. a hopper adapted to hold granular sodium hydrosulphite, means automatically controlled by the level in the dye reducing tank for feeding the dye from the storage tank to the dye reducing tank and also for automatically feeding the granular sodium hydrosulphite from the hopper to the reducing tank in direct proportion to the amount of dyestuff fed. from the storage tank to the reducing tank, a pad box, means automatically controlled by the level of the dyestuff in the pad box for feeding the dyestuff from the reducing tank to the pad box, a pair of squeeze rolls disposed above the pad box and automatic means for maintaining the level of the reduced dyestuff in the pad box regardless of the speed at which the reduced dyestufi is used up by the material as it passes through the same and wherebythe: squeeze rolls squeeze excess vat dyestuff from the'cloth after it passes through the pad. box and means automatically controlled by the depth of the dyestufi in the pad box for controlling the rate of flow of the dyestuff from the reducing tank to the pad box.

2. Apparatus for dyeing cloth having a dye storage tank, a dye reducing tank and a hopper adapted to hold granular sodium hydrosulphite, means automatically controlled by the level in the dye reducing. tank for feeding the dye from the storage tank to the dye reducing tank and also for automatically feeding the granular sodi um hydrosulphite from the hopper to! the reducing tank in direct proportion to the amount of dyestuff fed from the storage tank to the reducing tank, a pad box, means automatically controlled by the level of the dyestuif in the pad box for feeding the dyestufi from the reducing tank to the pad box, a pair of squeeze rolls. disposed above the pad box and automatic means for maintaining the level of the reduced dyestuiT in the pad box regardless of the speed at which the reduced dyestuff is used up by the material as it passes through the same and whereby the squeeze rolls squeeze excess vat dyestuff from the cloth after it passes through the pad box and means automatically controlled by the rate of flow of dyestuff into the pad. box. for regulating the rate of flow of dyestuff and sodium hydrosulphite from their respective sources to the reducing tank.

3. In an apparatus for dyeing cloth by padding having a dye reducing tank and having a storage tank for liquid vat dyestuff and having a hopper for holding a quantity of granular sodium hydrosulphite disposed above the dye reducing tank and having an opening at the bottom thereof and also having a pad box through which the cloth is passed, means for conducting the liquid vat dyestuff from the storage tank to the reducing tank, meanscontrolled by the head pressure of the liquid vat dyestufi inthe dye reducing tank for automatically controlling the flow of the liquid vat dyestuff from the storage tank to the dye reducing tank andproportionately controlling the size of the opening at the lower end of the hopper for releasing the granular sodium hydrosulphite from the hopper to the dye reducing tank, a pipe line extending from the dye reducing tank to the pad box for discharging the dye from the dye reducing tank to the pad box, means controlled by the liquid level in the pad box for feeding dyestufi from the reducing tank to the pad box, and means controlled by the rate of fiow of dyestuff into the pad box for regulating the rate of flow of. the liquid dyestufi' and sodium hydrosulphite from their sources into the reducing tank.

4. Apparatus for' reducing dye for application to cloth in pigment form having a storage tank adapted to contain a supply of vat dyes and sodium hydroxide mixed with water, said apparatus also having a mixing tank and a pipe feeding the solution in the storage tank to the mixing tank, said apparatus also having a hopper adapted to hold a quantity of granular sodium hydrosulphite and being disposed above the mixing tank and having an opening at the bottom thereof, means automatically controlled by the level of the solution in the mixing tank for proportionately controlling the size of the opening at the bottom of the hopper and also controlling the rate of flow of the solution from the storage tank to the mixing tank, whereby the opening at the lower end of the hopper will permit a predetermined amount of the granular sodium. hydrosulphite to fall by gravity from the hopper into the mixing tank thus forming a reducing solution, said apparatus also having a pad box disposed below the level of the mixing tank and through which the cloth is passed, a, pipe line extending from the mixing tank to the pad box, for discharging the reducing solution from the mixing tank to the pad box and means automatically controlled by the level of the solution in the pad box. for controlling the fiow of solution from the mixing tank to the pad box.

5. In a structure according, to claim 4, automatically controlled means whereby, after the flow of the reducing solution from the mixing tank to the pad. box has been started, the rate of flow of the sodium hydroxide solution from the storage tank into the mixing tank will. be such as to permit the sodium hydroxide solution and the granular sodium hydrosulphite to remain in a mixed state for a predetermined length of time regardless of changes in the rate at which the reducing solution is fed to the pad box.

6. In astructure according to claim l, manually adjustable means for adjusting the ratio of the amount of granular sodium hydrosulphite that is released from the hopper to the mixing tank relative to the rate of how of the sodium hydroxide solution from the storage tank to the mixing tank as desired.

SHERMAN CONVERSE. CALVIN M. MCKEOWN.

(References on following page) REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 Number Name Date 446,050 Young Feb. 10, 1891 681,586 Stebbins Aug. 27, 1901 1,002,635 Bratkowski Sept. 5, 1911 10 1,535,152 Eustis ...1..- Apr. 28, 1925 Number 22 Name Date Tice Dec. 13, 1927 Stuhlmann Aug. 28, 1934 Jeavons Oct. 30, 1934 Mellor Feb. 13, 1940 Ross Apr. 16, 1940 Conrad Nov. 19, 1940 Schuster Mar. 18, 1941 Beckman June 20, 1944 Vieira. Aug. 24, 1948, 

1. APPARATUS FOR DYEING CLOTH HAVING A DYE STORAGE TANK, A DYE REDUCING TANK AND A HOPPER ADAPTED TO HOLD GRANULAR SODIUM HYDROSULPHITE, MEANS AUTOMATICALLY CONTROLLED BY THE LEVEL IN THE DYE REDUCING TANK FOR FEEDING THE DYE FROM THE STORAGE TANK TO THE DYE REDUCING TANK AND ALSO FOR AUTOMATICALLY FEEDING THE GRANULAR SODIUM HYDRSULPHITE FROM THE HOPPER TO THE REDUCING TANK IN DIRECT PROPORTION TO THE AMOUNT OF DYESTUFF FED FROM THE STORAGE TANK TO THE REDUCING TANK, A PAD BOX, MEANS AUTOMATICALLY CONTROLLED BY THE LEVEL OF THE DYESTUFF IN THE PAD BOX FOR FEEDING THE DYESTUFF FROM THE REDUCING TANK TO THE PAD BOX, A PAIR OF SQUEEZE ROLLS DISPOSED ABOVE THE PAD BOX AND AUTOMATIC MEANS FOR 